


For Me

by LIKEABOSS1234



Series: Zalex Week 2k20 [4]
Category: 13 Reasons Why (TV)
Genre: Coffee, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Sweet, Tumblr: zalexweek2k20, Whiny Alex Standall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:47:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25177912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LIKEABOSS1234/pseuds/LIKEABOSS1234
Summary: A boy has been asking Alex out for weeks now and Alex needs an excuse. Good thing, Zach's coming up for the weekend
Relationships: Zach Dempsey/Alex Standall
Series: Zalex Week 2k20 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1818361
Comments: 4
Kudos: 56





	For Me

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry it's not very good, but I wanted to get something out for today.

Alex sits in a coffee shop just a few blocks away from his college. The barista boy had been trying to get Alex to go out with him for weeks. The boy’s name was Charlie and he was a senior in high school. He was trying to let the boy down easy, but he was persistent. 

“Hey, Alex?” Alex looks up to see Charlie standing there. He has to resist the urge to roll his eyes. “I was wondering if after my shift, you’d want to go see a movie with me?”

“Sorry, but I have plans with my boyfriend tonight,” Alex can see Charlie’s face drop at that, “He’s not from here and is driving up from my hometown to visit and is getting in tonight so I wanted to spend my time with him.” 

“Oh well, if he’s staying the weekend, bring him here. I’d love to meet him,” Charlie’s golden retriever demeanor kicks in and he’s back to smiling in no time.

“Yeah, I totally will if he can stay all weekend. He usually takes care of his sister so I don’t know if he will be able to, though,” Alex says, faking a sad expression. He had to play the part to get Charlie to believe he had this boyfriend that doesn’t exist. He knew Zach was coming up from  Creekwood to see him tonight and was going to try to stay the weekend. Surely, Zach would at least pretend to be his boyfriend to help him out. They’d been best friends for years, it wouldn’t hurt anything if they pretended to date. His phone buzzes from its place on the table. He looks at it and sees it’s Zach saying he was at his hotel and would be at the campus in about 45 minutes to pick him up. 

“Well, I’ve got to go, but I’ll see you later,” Alex says, getting up from his seat. Charlie tells him goodbye and Alex starts to walk back to his dorm building. He had a single room because of his TBI, but for some reason there was still a couch in his room for some reason. Alex puts on some more comfortable clothes and lays in his bed. He hears a knock on his dorm door and gets up to get it. He is immediately engulfed in a hug. The hug was so tight, it was getting to where Alex couldn’t breathe.

“Zach, hey, can’t breathe,” Alex says, through gasps.

“Sorry, Lex. I just haven’t seen you in so long,” Zach says. The boys go into Alex’s dorm and sit on his bed. 

“So, how has coaching at Liberty been?” Alex asks.

“It’s been pretty good. Coach  Kerba’s given me a lot of good tips when it comes to coaching and I think I might actually do it after college,” Zach says.

“That’s great,” Alex says, smiling at the other boy.

“What about you? How have your music classes been going?” Zach asks.

“Really well. My song writing class has been going especially well,” Alex say, happily.

“That’s really great. I’m glad you got to college for something you love,” Zach says.

“Thanks,  Zachy ,” Alex says, before taking a deep breath, “Okay, so this is going to sound really weird, but I need you to pretend to be my boyfriend.”

“Why?” Zach asks, very confused.

“Well, there’s this guy at the coffee shop a few blocks from here and he won’t stop asking me out and flirting with me no matter how many times I reject him, so I told him I had a boyfriend and well, now he wants to meet him,” Alex says.

“Okay, yeah, but why me? I’ll be a dead giveaway that we’re not actually dating,” Zach says.

“How so? You know more about me than anyone else, you’ve been my best friend for years and you just have to meet him one time and then we’re good,” Alex says, “Please Zach, for me?” Alex decides to whip out his best puppy dog eyes and that gets Zach to break.

“Fine, I’ll do it,” Zach says.

“Yes! You’re the absolute best,” Alex says, “And we don’t have to do anything you’re uncomfortable with. Like, if you don’t want to kiss or hold hands, we can make up some kind of excuse.” 

“It won’t be realistic if we don’t have any kind of physical affection towards each other. I’m okay with kissing and holding hands if you are okay with it,” Zach says, nervous, but trying not show it. Truth was Zach and Alex had liked each other from the first time they met, but never did anything about it for fear the other didn’t like them. Literally, everyone around them could tell they liked each other, but the two were oblivious to the other’s feelings.

“Yeah, I’m okay with it,” Alex says, a bit to quickly and eagerly. Zach doesn’t notice though which causes Alex to breathe a sigh of relief. 

“So, do we have a story? When did we get together? Did I physically sweep you off your feet?” Zach wiggles his eyebrows. Alex rolls his eyes. Zach was referring to one of the parties they went to their senior year.

“Umm...we got together before I left for college and we constantly miss each other. We were best friends before we got together and then at a sleepover or something, one of us kissed the other and then we started dating,” Alex says.

“Okay, what about our first date? Where did we go?” Zach asks.

“I don’t know, where would you want to go on a first date?” Alex asks.

“Probably on a walk to the pier in  Creekwood and then eat at the pizza place there,” Zach says.

“Well then, there we go. We’ve got our story,” Alex says. He was honestly so happy about this. 

“Okay, good so you’ll never guess what Justin did...” Zach starts.

*****

The two didn’t get much sleep, talking for hours about anything and everything in between. They also ended up taking ‘couples’ selfies and pictures to make the lie more believable. They decide that it was the best time to go to the coffee shop and get something to wake the two of them up. They decide to take Zach’s car and drive to the coffee shop. Alex gets out and before they walk in Zach grabs Alex’s hand. It makes Alex freeze up a bit, but then he melts into the touch. This was all he ever wanted. Zach opens the door for him and Charlie immediately spots them.

“Hey Alex, who is this?” Charlie asks, enthusiastically.

“This is Zach, my boyfriend,” Alex says, “Zach, this is Charlie.”

“Nice to meet you, man,” Zach says, shaking Charlie’s hand. 

“Yeah, you too,” Charlie says, “So what can I get you two?”

“I’ll have an Americano and Lex will have a mocha with an extra shot of espresso,” Zach says. Alex was surprised. He knew Zach had come to Monet’s with him many times, but he never realized Zach picked what he ordered.

“Lex?” Charlie says, trying not to laugh.

“Yeah, that’s been  Zachy’s nickname for me since we met,” Alex says, turning and going on his tippy toes to kiss Zach’s cheek. Zach casually shifts to where they’re kissing in the lips and Alex absolutely melts. He feels so content kissing Zach. He pulls away, though.

“You guys are literally so cute. I’m happy for you Alex,” Charlie smiles.

“Thanks Charlie,” Alex says.

*****

Zach is freaking out. Why the hell did he do that? He just kissed his best friend who he’s had a crush in for years. Why was he so damn-oh wait , Alex  is kissing him back, what?

Alex thanks the  barista when he said that  the two of them were cute and then Zach and Alex go and sit down to wait for their drinks.

“I can’t believe you remember my drink order,” Alex says.

“With the amount of times you made me go to Monet’s? I think it’d be more surprising if I didn’t remember it,” Zach says, laughing. Alex laughs, too.

“ You agreed to go with me, I did not make you,” Alex says, sassily. 

“Okay, you got me there, but I would’ve never gone there if it hadn’t been for you so I’m still going to blame you,” Zach laughs. Alex giggles at that.

Zach sees Charlie looking at them suspiciously so he wraps his arm around Alex and pulls him close. Alex understands what’s happening and wraps his arms around Zach and rests his body against Zach’s chest. Zach kisses Alex’s head. Alex smiles and shifts to give Zach a kiss on the nose. Zach laughs when he does this and pulls Alex into his lap. Alex squeaks quiet, startled from the sudden movement, but then he starts laughing. ‘If only this were real.’ Alex thinks to himself.

“Order for Zach and Alex,” Charlie calls, jealousy seeping through his voice. Alex does all he can to keep himself from laughing. Charlie was a sweet kid, but he was so annoying and sometimes acted like a stalker.

Alex kisses Zach quickly before pushing himself off Zach’s lap. As much as he liked the cuddling and sitting there, they had to go get their coffee. Alex gets up and Zach follows him. They get their coffee and leave the coffee shop. The two get into Zach’s car and go to Zach’s hotel. They get in the elevator and Zach starts to laugh.

“What?” Alex says, trying not to laugh himself.

“Nothing,” Soon, the two of them are just bursting with joyous laughter. Zach had been laughing about how they actually tricked that poor guy. It did hurt that it wasn’t real. It  would always hurt Zach that it wasn’t real. 

They get to Zach’s hotel room and Zach opens the door. He lets Alex go in first then closes the door. When he turns around, Alex plants a kiss on his lips. Zach is stunned for a second, but then recovers.

“Why’d you kiss me? We’re not in public,” Zach asks.

“You really are an idiot, aren’t you? Those kisses were for Charlie, that one was for me,” Alex says. Zach smiles and picks Alex up. Alex’s legs are wrapped around Zach’s torso and his hands are clasped behind Zach’s neck. Zach kisses Alex gently and smiles against his lips. He pulls away and hears Alex actually whine and laughs. Alex nose scrunches up in an adorable way.

“Don’t laugh at me,” Alex pouts, poking his bottom lip and giving puppy dog eyes.

“But you’re so cute when you pout and whine,” Zach says. Alex unlinks his arms and slaps Zach’s chest. 

Zach moves them towards the bed and the two of the lay down, facing each other. 

“You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to kiss you,” Zach says.

“Oh no, I do because I’ve wanted to kiss you for just as long,” Alex says. He moves closer to Zach and Zach kisses him. 

“How’d it  take us until now to realize this?” Zach asks.

“Because apparently, we’re oblivious to the point of being worse than Clay,” The two boys laugh and cuddle. Zach turns on the tv and the boys fall asleep, cuddled in each other's arms and listening to the sounds of Rick and  Mor ty.

*****

One month later, right before Thanksgiving, Alex and Zach walk down Creekwood's pier holding hands and smiling. Alex is in one of Zach's Liberty Tigers hoodies that looks like a dress on him. The two boys look out on the water together, Zach's arm wrapped around Alex's shoulders.

"So? Is this what you meant when you said that a date on the pier would be a perfect first date?" Alex asks.

"No," Zach says then pauses, "This is better than perfect." Zach leans down and kisses Alex temple, right where his scar is. Alex looks at him and they kiss o the lips.

**Author's Note:**

> Official Tumblr for Zalex Week 2020: https://zalexweek2k20.tumblr.com/  
> My Tumblr: https://fandomqueen6754.tumblr.com/  
> My Twitter: https://twitter.com/flash_gotta


End file.
